INTERNATIONAL: Manchester United’s new signing, Raphael Varane, says he’s excited to be joining the Premier League side and looking forward to what he called a “new journey." The 28-year-old has joined from Real Madrid for a reported fee of $57-million, seen by sports analysts as a bargain, considering that he has four Champions League trophies, three La Liga titles and a World Cup win with France on his CV.

The centre-back says he enjoyed his 'adventure' with Real Madrid, but is now looking forward to new goals with United. The Frenchman, who learned Spanish at his last club, says he still struggles with English, but that he plans to learn so that he can have a closer relationship with fans, his team mates and coaching staff.

What attracted Man United to him are his speed and ability to carry the ball out from the back, a trait that has drawn comparisons with former United and England centre-back Rio Ferdinand. Varane's composure on the ball and willingness to tackle mid-field could also be key to United, who struggled to break down teams last season who played on the defensive.